Coupling for train-pipes, &amp;c.



J.. E. PORSYTH. COUPLING FOR TRAIN PIPES, c'm

. APPLIUATION FILED 001 .15, 1908. @Ql ,Qfifi, Patented Nov. 23, 1909.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

J. E. PORSYTH. COUPLING FOB, TRAIN PIPES, 6w, APPLICATION FILED 00115. 1908.

Patented 25.9123, 1909.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2. i

J. E. FOR SYTH. COUPLING FOR TRAIN PIPES, dzc.

7 APPLICATION FILED OGT.15. 1908. 941,066. Patented Nov. 23, 1909.

4 SHEETS-SHBET 3.

COUPLING FOE TRAIN iIPES, 6w.

' APPLIOATIOI? FILED OOT.15. 1908.

Patented; Nov, 23, 1909.

4 SHEETSSHEET JOSEPH E. FORSYTH, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

COUPLING FOB TRAIN-PIPES, &c.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 23, 1909;

Application filed October 15, 1908. Serial No. 457,833.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH E. F ORSYTH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Couplings for Train-Pipes, &c., of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates particularly to automatic couplings for train-pipes, electric conductors, etc., employed on railway trains; and my primary object is to provide an improved construction of coupling having provision for the automatic locking'together of the companion coupling-heads when the cars are coupled together. The invention is illustrated in its preferred embodiment in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 represents a broken side elevational view of a draw-bar of a car. supporting a train-pipe coupling constructed in accordance with my improvements; Fig. 2, a sectional view of my improved train-pipe coupling; Fig. 3, a transverse sectional view taken approximately as indicated at line 3-3 of Fig. 4, and showing two couplingheads locked together; Fig. 4:, a-face view of the coupling-head employed; and Fig. 5, a sectional view taken as indicated at line 5 of Fig. 2 and showing the rear. side of the cou lingdiead.

It may be stated preliminarily that a trainpipc coupling-head of the improved construction is suspended from the draw-bar at each end of a car, the equipments at both ends of a car being duplicates of each other, and each coupling-head being located directly beneath the draw-bar, so that the coupling-heads will meet and interlock properly when the adjacent ends of two cars are brought together.

In the accompanying drawings, the coupling-heads are shown connected with the tra1n-pipes which they are designed to connect, but it will be understood'that, if desired, electric connections may be applied to the con ling-heads, so that the electric circuits will be automatically made when the coupling-heads are coupled.

In the preferred construction, which" is that herein illustrated, A represents a bracket suspended from the draw-bar A of a car; and B, a coupling-device supported on the bracket A.

, In Fig. 3, B represents a companion ,cou

' ling-device of the same construction as t e coupling device 13. Each coupling device comprises a coupling-head 1 from the rear side of which extends a stem or shaft 2, through the medium of which the couplinghead is supported and guided, a coil spring 3 serving normally to project the couplinghead a short distance in front of the face of the car-coupler; a spring-plate at having a convex rear surface which fits in a concave front surface of a ring 5 with which the lower end of the bracket A is equipped; a yoke 6'carried by a tubular stem 7 through which the shaft, or stem, 2 extends; locking members 8 pivotally mounted on the head 1 and adapted to be actuated by the yoke 6, thereby to lockingly engage the companion coupling-head; and a conical coil spring 9 crlmfined between the yoke 6 and the springp ate 4.

Each coupling-head l is preferably of the oval form shown in Fig. has a flat transverse facelO, and is equipped with diagonally opposite guide-prongs 11, Whose points diverge and whose base-portions are provided with inner concave surfaces 12, said guide-prongs having flanking shoulders 13 lying in su. stantially the horizontal central 'plane of the coupling-head and flanking shoulders 14 lying in substantially the vertical central plane of the coupling-head. Between the prong-bases, the coupling-head is provided with diagonally opposite convex surfaces 15, from which extend rearwardly oblique guide-flanges 16 upon which the prongs of the companion couplin -head may ride when the coupling-heads are rought to? gether. Each coupling-head is equipped on its rear side with bosses 17, 18 and 19 through which extend, respectively, the signal passage 20, the air-brake passage 21 'and the steam passage 22. Said passages 20, 21 and 22 have orifices opening at the front trans verse face of the coupling-head and equipped thereat with suitable gaskets. Each cou ling-head also has the metal cutaway afior ing openings 23, serving to lighten the cast- Ihe rear side of each coupling-head is equipped with bosses 24 which support pivots 25 by means of which the locking members 8 are connected with the couplin -head. Each locking member 8 is of approxlmately bell-crank form, havin an arm 26 adapted to'engage the rear si e of the companion coupling-head, and having also an actuating arm 27 connected with the yokefi. As illusopposite slots or openings 29, through which the arms 26 of the locking members 8 of the companion coupling-head are adapted to pass to enable said arms to engage the rear surface of the coupling-headin the locking position, as will be clearly understood from 1g.3. a l leach yoke 6 comprises a ring 30 equipped with diagonally opposite forwardly-eXtend-' ing arms 31 provided with slots 32 which re ceive the arms 27 of the locking members 8,- said slots 32 being illustrated as the spaces between furcations connected by pins, or

rollers, 33. The base-portion of each slot 32 alfordsa cam adapted to act upon the locking member and force the same to the locking position, after the, coupling-heads have been brought together, and the pin 33 serves to withdraw'the locking member when the coupling-heads a re separated. The tubular shank 7 has an enlarged portion 34: which carries the ring 30 and may be formed integrally therewith. The enlarged tubular portion 34 isprovided with slots 35 to receive segments, or enlargements, 36 carried by the shaft, or stem, 2. The enlargements 36 may be formed integrally with the boss 37 on the rear side of the coupling-head with which the shaft 2 is connected, or the shaft 2 may constitute an extension of the boss 3?.

stood that the shaft, or stem, Q

may 1110179 longitudinally within the tubular stem 7, theslots 35 permitting the enlargements 36 to slide therein, whereby the yoke and couplinghead are guided with relation to each other and maintained in proper angular relation. The spring 3, as clearly shown in Fig. 2, is arranged wit-hinthe conical spring 9, and the plate a is provided on its front face with two annular grooves receiving the rear ends of the coil springs. The larger end/of the outer spring is at therear, so that the outer spring tends to center the coupling-head.

By preference, the inner spring is made heavier than the outer spring, to insure a firm contact of the faces of the couplingheads before the locking members 8 are'actuated far enough to engage the companion coupling-heads. Normally, in the projected position of the coupling-head, both springs are under a certain degree of compression, in which condition the forwagimcvement of the coupling-head is limited by a pin 38 con- It will be undercanoes nected with the shaft 2 and engaging the rear end of the tubular shaft 7 and the forward movement of the tubular shaft '7 is limited by a stop 39 secured, as by a collar l0 and pins ll-,- on the tubular shaft '4'. The

of the ring-5 of the bracket A and carries arms 42 adapted to engage a rearwardly pointed member 43 carried by the bracket A, thus maintaining the coupling-head in a ,proper upright position. The ring 5 has an opening 44 through which the tubular stem enough to permit allnec'essary movements ,of the coupling-head in any direction, such as might'be required in rounding curve or when the" coupling-heads are located at bosses l7, l8 and 19 through which the air and steam passages of the coupling-heads with the train-pipes 46. Armored hose answers admirably the purpose of such a connection.

The operation will be readily understood from the foregoing detailed description.

coupling thereof, the coupling-heads B and B are thereby brought together, in which movement the guide-prongs 11 of each coupling-head enga e theguide-prongs of the companion coup ing-head and guide the coupling-heads to ether. In this movement,

head ride upon the oblique guide-flanges 16 of the companion coupling-head, thereby bringing the coupling-heads together without injurious shock.

faces 12 at the bases of the prongs of each bases of each coupling-head engage the corresponding shoulders of the companion coupling-head. Thus, the formation of the from rocking or prying 'away; from each other, and also to prevent angular rotation of thecoupling-heads with relation to each other so that the gaskets will be maintained in proper relation. In the operation ofbringing the coupling-heads together, the springs 3 are placed under considerable compression in advance of the completion of the and in the further movement of compression of the springs the locking members 8 are forced firmly into engagement with the conipanion coupling-head. Inasmuch as the springs 9 are always under considerable .compression while the cars are coupled together,

in thelocking position, so that the couplingdifferent levels. The obliquely-extending When two cars are brought together to effect coupling-head engage the convex surfaces 15 of the companion coupling-head, and; the lateral shoulders 13 and 14 of the pronglocking movement of the locking members 8,

stop 39 normally engages the rear surface '7 extends freely, said opening fl being large 7 extend, are connected by hose or p1pes' l5 the tips of the guide-prongs of each coupling- After the couplingheads are brought together, the concave surcoupling-heads is such as to tend to prevent the transverse faces of the coupling-heads the locking members 8 will be firmly held coupling-heads, thereby releasing the locklateral shoulder lying in substantially the' diverging ing members. A

\Vhat I regard as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. An automatic coupling for the purpose set forth, comprising a coupling-head" of oval form having a transverse face and equipped with diagonally opposite forwardly guide-prongs having inner concave surfaces at their 'ba'ses, each guide-prong having 'a lateral shoulder lying in substantially the horizontal central plane of the coupling-head and a lateral shoulder lying in substantially the.vertical central plane of the coupling-head, sa id coupling-head having convex surfaces located between the prong-bases and rearwardly diverging guidesurfaces forming a continuation iof said convex surfaces of the coupling-head and conforming to the inner surfaces of the prongs of a companion coupling-head.

2. An automatic coupling for the purpose' set forth, comprising. an oval-form coupling-head having a transverse face and equipped with diagonallyopposite forwardly .diverging guide-prongs having inner concave surfaces at their base-portions, each of said guide-prongs having a lateral shoul der lying in substantially the horizontal central plane of the coupling-head and a vertical central plane of the coupling-head, said coupling-head having convex surfaces located between the prong-bases and rearwardly diverging guide-flanges having sur faces forming a continuation of said convex surfaces and conforming to the inner surfaces of the guide-prongs of a companion coupling-head. 3. An automatic coupling for the urpose set forth, comprising an .ovalorm coupling-head having a transverse face and equipped with diagonally opposite forwardly diverging guide-prongs, having inner concave surfaces at their base-portions, each of said guide-prongs having a lateral shoulder lying zontal central plane of the couling-head and a lateral shoulder lying in su stantially the vertical central plane of. the couplinghead and each guide-prong having an opening through the base-portion thereof, said coupling-head havingJ convex surfaces lying between the prongases and rearwardly diverging flanges whose surfaces form coning away from each other, and thus is m openings of said guide-prongs, and actuatlocking member having in substantially the hori 1 tinuations of said convex surfaces, each of said flanges having an opening therethrough, locking members'mounted on said coupling-head and movable through the ing means for said locking members. I

4. In an automatic coupling for the purpose set forth, the combination with the draw-bar of a car, of a bracket suspended therefrom, a couplingrhead having a stem mounted to slide in said bracket, a spring confined between said bracket and said coupling head, said coupling-head being of oval form and equipped with diagonally opposite forwardly diver ing guidqprongs having inner concave sur aces at their baseportions, each of said guide-prongs having a lateral shoulder lying in substantially the horizontal central plane of the couplinghead and a lateral shoulder lying in substantially the vertical central plane of the coupling-head, said coupling-head having convex surfaces lying between the prongbases, the base-portion of eachguide-prong being provided with an opening, locking members supported on saidcoupling-head and adapted to moyein said openings, means slidable on said stem serving to actuate said locking members, and a spring confined between said lastnamed means and. said bracket, for the purpose set forth.

5. The combination with a draw-bar of a car, of a braclgetz' sus ended the1i1efrom,'a prong-equippe coup ing-head aving a stem extending loosely through said bracket, a lockingmember mounted on saitfcoupling head and adapted to engage a companion couplingdiead, an actuating member for said a tubular stem extending through said racket, springs sur- 105 rounding saidtubular stem having a bearing againstsaid bracket, one .of said springs havin a bearing on said coupling-head and the ot er having a bearing on said actuatin member, and stops connected with said stems 110 in the rear of said bracket and limiting the forward movement of said coupling-head and said actuating member, for the purpose set forth.

6. The combination with a draw-bar of a 115 car, of a bracket suspended therefrom, a. tubular stem extending loosely through said bracket, a sprin -plate located in front of said bracket an having universal connection therewith and through which said stem loosely extends, a yoke carried by said tubuar. stem, an inner stem extending through said tubular stem and equipped at its front portion withv spring-bearings projecting through slots provided in said tubular stem, 125 an inner coil spring contacting at its front end with said spring-bearings and at its rear end with said springplate, an outer coil spring confined between said yoke and said spring-plate, a coupling-head carried by said inner stem equipped with guideprongs provided with openings therethrough, locking members mounted on said coupling-head and adapted to move in said openings through said guide-prongs, connections between said yoke and said locking members, and stops limiting the forward projecting through the openings in said tubular stem, an inner coil spring encircling said tubular stem and confined between said spring-bearings and said bracket, an outer coil spring confined between said yoke and said bracket, a coupling-head carried by the forward-end-of said inner stem and equipped with forwardly diverging guide-prongs-hav- ,ing openings therethroughand equippedwith rearwardly diverging flanges located bet-ween the bases of said-guide prongs and provided with openings, locking members pivoted on said head and movable through the openings in, the guide-prongs thereof and through the openings in the rearwardly diverging flanges of a companion couplinghead, connections between said locking members and said yoke, and stops limiting the forward movement of said stems.

8. The combination of a bracket adapted to be supported beneath a car, a tubular stem extending therethrough provided at its front portion with an opening, =-an'=innef'" stem extending through said tubular stem and equipped with a spring-bearing extending through said opening, springs encircling .Sfild tubular stein and having a bearing on said bracket and serving normally to project said stems, a coupling-head carried by said inner stern having an oval form and a transverse face and equipped with diagonally opposite forwardly diverging guide-prongs having inner concave surfaces attheir base-portions and having 1 lateral shoulders lying in substantially the vertical and horizontal central planes of the coupling-head, said coupling-head liaving convexsurf: ces lying between the prdngefbases,

a. locking member carried by said coupling head, and an actuating member for said locking-member carried by said tubular stem.

JOSEPH E. FonsY-TH.

In presence of R. A. RAYMOND, R. A. SCHAEFER. 

